Gardenia plant named ‘SMNGDUO’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Gardenia plant named ‘SMNGDUO’, characterized by its low mounding, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely and continuously flowering from mid to late summer; relatively large double-type white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gardenia jasminoides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNGDUO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gardenia plant, botanically known as Gardenia jasminoides, commonly referred to as Common Gardenia or Cape Jasmine, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNGDUO’.

The new Gardenia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new low mounding Gardenia varieties with large and attractive flowers.

The new Gardenia plant originated from an open-pollination in 2013 of an unidentified proprietary Gardenia jasminoides selection, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary Gardenia jasminoides selection as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gardenia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Grand Haven, Mich. in 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gardenia plant by softwood cuttings in Grand Haven, Mich. since 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Gardenia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gardenia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNGDUO’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNGDUO’ as a new and distinct Gardenia plant:

-   -   1. Low mounding, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.     -   3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and continuously flowering from mid to late summer.     -   5. Relatively large double-type white-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gardenia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gardenia are more low mounding than and not         as upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Gardenia are larger than flowers         of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gardenia can also be compared to plants of Gardenia jasminoides ‘Prince Charles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,304. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gardenia differ from plants of ‘Prince Charles’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gardenia are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Prince Charles’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Gardenia are larger than flowers         of plants of ‘Prince Charles’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographic sheet illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gardenia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gardenia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a top perspective view of a typical plant of ‘SMNGDUO’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘SMNGDUO’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the early summer in three-gallon containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under typical Gardenia production practices. Plants were three years old when the photographs and the description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gardenia jasminoides ‘SMNGDUO’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Gardenia jasminoides, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Gardenia jasminoides, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 to 45 days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy and fibrous;             orangish white to tan in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; low mounding             upright to outwardly spreading plant form; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 65 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 20 per plant;             pruning will enhance lateral branch development. Length:             About 25 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About             3 cm. Texture, developing: Slightly pubescent. Texture,             developed: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: About 20° to 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Color, developing: Close to             144A. Color, developed: Close to 197B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; single.         -   Length.—About 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy             coriaceous.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous with             prominent venation; somewhat glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: When developing, slightly pubescent becoming             smooth and glabrous with development. Color, upper surface:             Close to NN137A. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and quantity.—Relatively large,             symmetrical rotate double-type flowers; flowers axillary and             solitary; about four to ten flowers and flower buds per             lateral stem and about 300 flowers develop per plant;             flowers face upright to outwardly; flowers persistent.         -   Flowering season.—Plants of the new Gardenia flower from mid             to late summer in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately to strongly fragrant; fragrance is             sweet, bright and peppery.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About six per flower             arranged in two whorls; petals are fused at the base.             Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; soft, silky. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to NN155B. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to NN155B; venation, close to NN155B;             color does not change with subsequent development.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About ten to twelve in             two whorls. Outer whorl petaloids: Length: About 2.5 cm.             Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Mostly entire with occasional notches;             somewhat undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; soft and silky. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to NN155B. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to NN155B; venation, close to NN155B;             color does not change with subsequent development. Inner             whorl petaloids: Length: About 2 cm. Width: Variable, about             1 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Elliptic to somewhat variable in shape.             Apex: Variable, obtuse or notched, undulate. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Irregular notches; undulate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft and silky. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155B.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155B;             venation, close to NN155B; color does not change with             subsequent development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically six in a single             whorl; fused at the base. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             3 mm. Shape: Roughly linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from stem axis. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: To date, no true stamens have             been observed on plants of the new Gardenia; occasionally,             partially transformed inner whorl petaloids are observed             with stamen-like characteristics. Pistils: Pistil quantity             per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:             Irregularly two to three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 160C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development have             not been observed on plants of the new Gardenia. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: To date, plants of the new Gardenia have     not been observed to be tolerant to pathogens and pests common to     Gardenia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gardenia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from −31° C. to 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gardenia plant named ‘SMNGDUO’ as illustrated and described. 